NZIER Consensus Forecasts

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NZIER Consensus Forecasts Embargoed until am Tuesday December Prepared by Peter O Connor Incorporating returns received up to Tuesday December Recovery slowing, to strengthen in The NZIER Consensus

1 NZIER Consensus Forecasts Embargoed until am Tuesday December Prepared by Peter O Connor Incorporating returns received up to Tuesday December Recovery slowing, to strengthen in The NZIER Consensus Forecasts are an average of New Zealand economic forecasts compiled from a survey of financial and economic agencies. These are not NZIER s forecasts. The average forecasts do not necessarily represent the views of individual participants. Forecasts are for March years, e.g. / refers to the year ended March. Economic forecasters expect a slowing recovery before conditions strengthen in the March year, according to the latest NZIER Consensus Forecasts Survey. The growth outlook remains positive, but a slow patch is now predicted in the March year compared to the September survey. Consequently, interest rate increases will be later and less than previous forecasts. Forecasters continue to incorporate effects from the Canterbury earthquake. Views diverge significantly on the size and timing of reconstruction in the region. Economic data has also been disappointing since the September release, reflected in downward revisions to March growth forecasts. These are consistent with slowing economic conditions, before recovering from mid-. Economists on average expect positive economic growth in (.%, down from.% in the September survey) and (.%, up from.%). But the outlook for March is subdued (unchanged at.%). Revisions over the past quarter reflect a soft patch in the near term and a boost to activity in from reconstruction in Canterbury. Consumer price inflation will spike due to GST and other policy changes, peaking at.% in March. Excluding one-off effects the inflation rate will be.% and.% in March and March respectively. Real wages will barely increase over the next two years, but personal tax cuts will compensate households for inflation from increased government charges. The labour market outlook is subdued but has improved marginally, consistent with increased employment expectations. The unemployment rate is set to trend down from.% in the March year to.% by March. Evolution of Consensus GDP Forecasts / / / / / - /9 9/ - 9 Source: NZIER NZIER Consensus Forecasts December

2 Annual, $bn Recovery delayed Forecasters expect a slowing recovery in the near term, but strengthening from. The March year GDP forecast fell a further.% to.%. Forecasters expect quarterly GDP growth of.% in the September quarter (data due December) and.% in the December quarter. Economic growth is expected to strengthen (.% from.%) in the March year. Economic growth is forecast to moderate to.% (unchanged from previous survey) in the March year. Soft domestic conditions will delay the recovery until the March year where reconstruction from the Canterbury earthquake will also boost growth. Real GDP Growth Labour market outlook improves from The unemployment rate is stabilising, but is not expected to improve until. Forecasters predict a modest rise to.% in the March year, unchanged from the previous survey. The unemployment rate is expected to improve gradually to.% (from.% in the previous survey) in the March year as the recovery gathers momentum from mid-. % of labour force Unemployment Rate Trade balance to weaken The trade balance outlook remains negative. Strong but slowing export growth will be overcome by rapidly increasing imports. Export growth forecasts are positive but have been trimmed, (.% from.%), (.9% from.%) and (unchanged at.%). There is a wide range of forecasts for the March year (.% to 9.%), reflecting uncertainty over the exchange rate and global growth outlook. Imports are expected to outpace exports in all of the forecast years, but forecasts for have been cut due to softening economic conditions. Imports are forecast to surge in (.% from 9.%), (.% from.%) and (.% from.%). Real Exports - - Current account deficit to widen The current account deficit is expected to deteriorate. The current account was boosted in the March year by - - one-off tax payments by the banking sector and an - improved trade balance. Slowing exports, rising imports - and increased costs of financing New Zealand s large net - foreign liability position are expected to widen the current - - account again. Views are divergent on the level, but all - expect a marked increase in the deficit by March. - Current Account Balance NZIER Consensus Forecasts December

3 Canterbury earthquake to boost investment Investment activity is forecast to surge in, and. Forecasters expect investment to rebound strongly in (unchanged at.%), (9.% from.%) and (.% from.9%). The Canterbury earthquake is expected to have significant impacts on investment. The bulk of residential reconstruction is expected to occur in the March year. Non-residential investment forecasts have increased over the forecast horizon. Economists have diverging views on the size and timing of the reconstruction impact from the earthquake. Real Total Investment Policy changes and GST increase to drive inflation Inflation forecasts for March have softened since the September survey (.% from.%), reflecting weaker economic conditions. Inflation outside of policy changes (GST, ACC and ETS) remains subdued. Excluding oneoff policy increases, inflation is expected to remain within the upper end of the RBNZ s %-% target band over the forecast horizon. Inflation is expected to peak in March at.% and remain elevated at.% in. The policy changes will affect CPI inflation figures for some time. Annual % change Consumer Price Inflation Inflation consumes wage increases Wage negotiations are expected to ignore GST increases with wage earners fully compensated by personal tax cuts. Only gradual increases in real wages are forecast. Nominal wages are expected to grow.% in March (from.%), recover in (unchanged at.9%) and accelerate in (unchanged at.%). Over the next two years general wage inflation, excluding the one-off increases will erode about %-9% of wage increases. Private Sector Wage Inflation Wildly divergent currency views Forecasters views on the NZD outlook are wildly divergent and have increased slightly since September. Forecasts range from hitting new highs to depreciating. On average the exchange rate is expected to stabilise before dipping in. The consensus forecast for the NZD trade weighted index is.,. and. in March, March and March respectively. An appreciating exchange rate has reduced the cost of imports, but also export incomes, providing head winds for the trade balance. Index, annual average NZD TWI Source: RBNZ, NZIER NZIER Consensus Forecasts December

4 Previous and latest consensus forecasts September December AAPC, March years / f / f / f / f / f / f GDP Private consumption Public consumption Fixed investment Residential Other Total Exports, goods and services Imports, goods and services Consumer price index (apc) New Zealand TWI (Ave for yr to Mar) day bank bill (Ave for yr to Mar) year government stock (Ave for yr to Mar) Balance of payments (current a/c; NZ$m; Mar yr) -, -, -, -, -9,9 -,9 Employment (apc, Mar yr) Unemployment rate (% of labour force; Mar) Private sector wages (hourly; aapc) Government operating balance (NZ$m; Jun yr) -, -, -,999 -, -, -,9 Note: aapc = annual average percent change, apc = annual percent change NZIER Consensus Forecasts December

5 Summary of results December survey QPC, quarters September December Low Mean High Low Mean High GDP (seasonally adjusted, qpc) CPI (qpc).9.. AAPC, March years / f / f / f Low Mean High Low Mean High Low Mean High GDP Private consumption Public consumption Fixed investment - Residential Other Total Exports, goods and services Imports, goods and services Consumer price index (apc) New Zealand TWI (Ave for yr to Mar) day bank bill (Ave for yr to Mar) year government stock (Ave for yr to Mar) Balance of payments (current a/c; NZ$m; Mar yr) -,9 -, -, -, -9,9 -, -, -,9-9, Employment (apc, Mar yr) Unemployment rate (% of labour force; Mar) Private sector wages (hourly; aapc) Government operating balance (NZ$m; Jun yr) -,9 -, -, -, -, -, -, -,9 -, Notes: aapc = annual average percent change, apc = annual percent change, qpc = quarterly percent change These results show only means; standard deviations are available on request NZIER Consensus Forecasts December

6 Summary charts Real GDP Growth Real Private Consumption Real Public Consumption Real Residential Investment Real Other Investment Real Total Investment Real Imports Real Exports NZIER Consensus Forecasts December

7 Annual % change Consumer Price Inflation %pa 9 9 Day Bank Bills Source: RBNZ, NZIER Index, annual average NZD TWI Annual, $bn Current Account Balance - Source: RBNZ, NZIER Private Sector Wage Inflation Year Government Bond Yield %pa 9 Source: RBNZ, NZIER Unemployment Rate Government Operating Surplus % of labour force $bn Source: Treasury, NZIER NZIER Consensus Forecasts December

8 Respondents ANZ-National Bank ASB Bank Bank of New Zealand Deutsche Bank First NZ Capital New Zealand Institute of Economic Research Reserve Bank of New Zealand The Treasury UBS Westpac For more information contact: Shamubeel Eaqub Peter O Connor Ph: () Ph: () shamubeel.eaqub@nzier.org.nz peter.oconnor@nzier.org.nz New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (Inc) Phone: + Fax: + Web: econ@nzier.org.nz While NZIER will use all reasonable endeavours in undertaking contract research and producing reports to ensure the information is as accurate as practicable, the Institute, its contributors, employees and Board shall not be liable (whether in contract, tort (including negligence), equity or on any other basis) for any loss or damage sustained by any person relying on such work whatever the cause of such loss or damage. NZIER Consensus Forecasts December

Consensus Forecasts. Real GDP Growth. Growth outlook still solid, says NZIER Consensus Forecasts. Annual average % change

Consensus Forecasts. Real GDP Growth. Growth outlook still solid, says NZIER Consensus Forecasts. Annual average % change NZ Institute of Economic Research (Inc) Media release March Consensus Forecasts Growth outlook still solid, says NZIER Consensus Forecasts The latest NZIER Consensus Forecasts shows growth forecasts have